Silver Lake
Silver Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 85 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 70.84 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.6 ft
- Max depth
- 47 ft
- Area
- 71 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 12
- Open water
- 235 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Silver Lake →
Next lake in Ramsey County
Silver Lake is a 71-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 47 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Silver Lake ranks #41 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 85 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 39.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 65.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 85 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 39.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Silver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Silver Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Silver Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 47 ft |
| Surface Area | 71 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 88% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Silver Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 45.70 | 0.26 lb |
| Black Crappie | 31.12 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluegill | 26.61 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 24.79 | 0.12 lb |
| Common Carp | 9.65 | 2.61 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.94 | 3.73 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-10 survey
Silver Lake (West) is a 71-acre (62.5 littoral acres), class 38 lake located within the Village of St. Anthony and the City of Columbia Heights. The lake is currently managed by the Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN) program. The City of Columbia Heights operates a small swimming beach in the northwest corner and a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Silver Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SilverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SilverFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SilverPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.057 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4.77 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +4.99 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (11 observations).
Estimated open water season: 235 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-15 (2016) | 2018-04-30 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2006-12-01 (2006) | 2008-12-03 (2008) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-03-28
EPA Impairment Status
Silver Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN62-0083-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #41 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Silver Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 85 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 70.84 acres.
Is Silver Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Silver Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 39.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 47 feet. The lake covers 70.84 acres.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
- Fish species found in Silver Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Silver Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
When does Silver Lake thaw?
- Silver Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 12. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 235 days.
Explore Silver Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
408 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA408 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate